Foxman Calls Beck’s Comments ‘Horrific’

Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, stopped short of calling Glenn Beck an anti-Semite, but told me that his comments (see here and here) regarding George Soros’s role in the Holocaust as a young boy were “horrific, over-the-top, and out-of-line.” Foxman—who was born in 1940 in Poland, and saved by a Polish nanny who baptized him and raised him as a Catholic to protect him—pointed to Beck’s statement, made yesterday on his radio show, that Soros “help[ed] send the Jews to the death camps.” “I think he doesn’t understand what the Shoah was all about,” Foxman said.

I reached Foxman this morning by phone. “I think one can disagree with George Soros, one can like him or dislike him, one can be opposed to him,” he told me. “But to judge him on his role during the Holocaust is not only offensive, but horrific, over-the-top, and out-of-line. Not even Holocaust survivors have the audacity to judge other Jews during the Holocaust. For a political commentator and entertainer to go as far as to say, quote, Here’s a Jewish boy helping send the Jews to the camps, is so over-the-top, so inexcusable.”

Drawing on personal experience, Foxman added, “I believe George Soros when he says there is nothing to apologize for. When I was six, I spat on Jews, because I was taught to spit on Jews. You want to go back to history, the Pope was in Hitler Youth.”

He continued: “The other thing I find unacceptable is it’s chutzpah for him to set standards for what makes a good Jew. We don’t set standards for what makes a good Christian or a good Mormon. It’s arrogant.”

As for Beck’s other charges against Soros, Foxman expressed less concern. “People involved in global finance have been called all kinds of things,” he said. “I don’t think that’s anti-Semitism.”

WAIT, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TO COMMENT?
Tablet is committed to bringing you the best, smartest, most enlightening and entertaining reporting and writing on Jewish life, all free of charge. We take pride in our community of readers, and are thrilled that you choose to engage with us in a way that is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. But the Internet, for all of its wonders, poses challenges to civilized and constructive discussion, allowing vocal—and, often, anonymous—minorities to drag it down with invective (and worse). Starting today, then, we are asking people who'd like to post comments on the site to pay a nominal fee—less a paywall than a gesture of your own commitment to the cause of great conversation. All proceeds go to helping us bring you the ambitious journalism that brought you here in the first place.

I NEED TO BE HEARD! BUT I DONT WANT TO PAY.
Readers can still interact with us free of charge via Facebook, Twitter, and our other social media channels, or write to us at letters@tabletmag.com. Each week, we’ll select the best letters and publish them in a new letters to the editor feature on the Scroll.

We hope this new largely symbolic measure will help us create a more pleasant and cultivated environment for all of our readers, and, as always, we thank you deeply for your support.

George Soros was 13 when the Germans invaded Hungary. If he “helped send Jews to death camps” (although according to this rationale, then Jews who registered themselves as such as required by law knowingly committed an act tantamount to suicide/mass murder) then so did the Pope.

If this is the kind of ridiculous logic we are following, then where is Beck’s hysterical denunciation of the conspiracy surrounding Benedict’s election to the Papacy?

elyehsays:

November 11, 2010 - 2:06 pm

I do not know what Soros did during WWII and could not judge that.

There is no doubt that the money Soros made from currency manipulation is “blood money.” Just as we can call diamonds “blood diamonds” because of the violence and suffering that gathering them causes, Soros’ activity has caused major suffering for people in many parts of the world. And he has done this consciously, in order to make his fortune. His wealth is a result of driving down the value and stability of currencies of many nations, with the resulting economic and social dislocation and suffering. Soros’ money is blood money!

Soros currently identifies himself as an atheist; it is not clear if he still considers himself a Jew.

His support of left wing causes is well known, and characterizing him as a supporter of Socialism or even authoritarian Socialism is probably accurate.

Elliot Cohensays:

November 11, 2010 - 2:47 pm

George Soros’ Open Society organization, created by him and funded by him did more to bring an end to Communism than the combined efforts of all the right wing groups combined. He spent a fortune providing Eastern European dissidents with the tools to create liberal institutions.
If Soros made money “manipulating” currencies, he did no more than the thousands who work the financial markets throughout the world. He is just a lot better at it. He used that money to the advantage of millions.

Mike Walshsays:

November 12, 2010 - 8:42 am

Rachel,

What on earth are you talking about? Why mention the Pope at all?

Name (required)Email (required, will not be published)Website (optional)

Message

2000

Your comment may be no longer than 2,000 characters, approximately 400 words. HTML tags are not permitted, nor are more than two URLs per comment. We reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments.